This invention relates in general to engines and more particularly to reciprocating engines of various styles.
In the conventional piston-type internal combustion engine, a combustible mixture is burned within a cylinder and forces a piston through the cylinder. The force applied to the piston is transmitted to the crank pin of a crankshaft through a single connecting rod. In this arrangement the force is applied over 180.degree. of rotation for the crankshaft and hence the power stroke of the engine is said to last for 180.degree..
During much of the power stroke the angle between the connecting rod and crank arm on the crankshaft is quite small and as a result a very small moment arm exists. Of course, when the moment arm is small very little torque is applied to the crankshaft. Indeed, only when the connecting arm is disposed at 90.degree. with respect to the crank arm is maximum torque applied to the crankshaft, and while the application of torque is quite high at 45.degree. on either side of that position, any position beyond the 45.degree. position does not result in a very efficient application of torque.